While most liberal theories have focused on the principles of justice and on an idea of justice in which the perspective used to reflect on society and on individuals’ relationship is becoming more abstract, an analysis of self-respect leads us towards what is essential to individuals’ self-esteem and esteem of their social relationships. These reflections reveal that the principles of justice are not the only sources of self-respect. Cultures and religions, as well as moral communities and comprehensive groups, have also fundamental roles in the level of self-respect and mutual respect that individuals have between themselves and towards each other.
If individuals’ plan of life, values and beliefs are revealed as fundamental to their autonomy and to their life as individuals, the reflections on multiculturalism and pluralism reveal the problem of our time: how can a society achieve to promote individuals’ self-respect in a context where moral, comprehensive and religious diversities are among the main characteristics?
Criticizing John Rawls and Will Kymlicka’s theories, as well as some arguments made by philosophers such as Bhiku Parekh and David Miller, the position taken in this theory is that a society must give individuals further means to achieve their self-respect. The main proposition of this essay is that individuals have a right to a self-respect framework, which is a political space particular to a group or community that includes the institutions and powers necessary to promote the self-respect of the members of such group or community. It is only through such right and through the structural and institutional claims that are associated with it, that cultural and religious groups as well as comprehensive groups and moral communities can be recognized politically and that a liberal and multicultural theory of individuals and groups can conciliate ideal and reality.